“If you're surrounded by a community of people that are writing songs and sharing them, it makes it so much easier to find those songs in yourself.”
03. Stepping Into the Unknown
Matt Meighan
Matt is based in Portland, Oregon where he performs regularly and has been teaching his weekly Songwriting as Truth-Telling class since 2009.
He hosts the annual Hidden River Songwriting Camp on the Long Beach Washington Peninsula every July, as well as an annual week-long songwriting retreat in Donegal, Ireland. He studied poetry at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics (Naropa University) in Boulder, Colorado, where he earned an MFA in writing and poetics.
Episode Themes:
Vulnerability as creative fuel – Matt emphasizes that growth and strong art come from risk and showing up honestly
Distinguishing inner critic vs. inner editor – The critic protects (social fear) and inhibits; the editor improves craft. Matt recommends dialoguing with the critic and postponing editorial judgment while creating
Trusting the muse & letting the song lead – Follow surprising images or musical turns and allow the piece to take its natural shape rather than forcing it
Self-kindness and grief around creativity – Be gentle with yourself when returning to your creative practice after some absence; acknowledge grief and avoid self-blame
Resources:
Get in touch with Matt: mattmeighan.com
Watch his Performances: Youtube
Sign up for his songwriting classes here
Sign up for his songwriting camp here
Questions for Artists:
What grief or story shows up when I return to making art after a long break?
How can I be kinder to myself about lost time and make a small, doable plan to re-engage?
What personal experience needs a voice in my work—not for performance, but for my own making-sense or healing?
Want to dive deeper into your own personal artistry?
Click here for the downloadable journal prompt